There has been a desire in recent years to develop methods for purifying biochemical solutions and mixtures that contain target molecules or compounds and impurities. Various methods have been used purifying biological samples and include contacting a sample with an ion-exchange resin. There continues to be a need for fast and efficient methods and devices for purifying a biological sample.
According to various embodiments, an apparatus is provided having a petal-array of purification materials that can be disposed within respective wells of a multi-well microplate, for example, a standard-format 96- or 384-well plate. Methods of making and using the apparatus are also provided. The purification material can be located on an array of members, for example, petal-shaped purification members, adapted for insertion into a corresponding array of reaction wells. The purification members can also include binding sites for target components. An apparatus and method for facilitating the release of labeled monomers from a purification and binding support within a microplate format, are also provided.
According to various embodiments, an analyte-manipulation apparatus is provided. The apparatus can include, for example, a plurality of wells defining an array, wherein each of the wells includes a rim defining an opening at an upper end of each well, with the openings being disposed within a first plane. The apparatus can include a support, for example, a sheet, including a plurality of petal-shaped purification or ion-exchange members formed therein at positions corresponding to the wells of the array, with the support being disposed along a second plane above and substantially parallel to the first plane, and with at least one of the petal-shaped purification members being positioned near each one of the openings. According to various embodiments, the apparatus can include a stack of supports, for example, formed as individual sheets, disposed above the well openings, with each support of the stack including a plurality of petal-shaped purification members integrally formed therein, and with each petal-shaped purification member of each support being disposed at a position corresponding to a respective one of the wells of the array. The stack of supports can include more than one support, for example, at least three of the supports, for example, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more supports. Each of the petal-shaped purification members can be movable between (i) a first position, substantially within the second plane, and (ii) a second position, at least partially disposed outside of the second plane and extending at least partially into a nearby well via a respective opening. The apparatus can further include a platen including a major surface facing the support, and a plurality of ring-shaped projections extending outwardly from the major surface of the platen. The platen can be adapted for movement toward and away from the support, whereby upon moving the platen toward the support, the projections can pressingly engage the petal-shaped purification members, thereby deflecting the petal-shaped purification members from the first position to the second position. Each of the ring-shaped projections can taper in a direction away from the major surface.
According to various embodiments, the platen and each of the ring-shaped projections of the platen defines a passage extending longitudinally through each ring-shaped projection and through the platen. An instrument, for example, a pipette, can be inserted through the passage to access the interior region of any one or more of the wells when the petal-shaped purification members are deflected into their respective wells. For example, a sample and/or reagent can be deposited into or withdrawn from one or more selected wells by using an instrument via the passage.
According to various embodiments, the apparatus can further include a die plate disposed between the support and the plurality of wells, wherein the die plate includes an array of apertures extending therethrough, with each of the apertures being disposed at a position corresponding to a respective one of the wells of the array.
Additional features and advantages of various embodiments will be set forth in part in the description that follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of various embodiments. The objectives and other advantages of various embodiments will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the description below.